The snow keeps falling
by TheCarnivalAct
Summary: "You have no idea how long I've wanted you to do that."


It was times like these that Josh was glad that Chris was always on his phone. Josh himself had never really understood the draw towards the flashy high-tech gadgets that Chris was always drooling over, and found himself quite often rolling his eyes in annoyance when Chris was too enveloped in his phone to pay attention to Josh. However, it was times like this one where Josh enjoyed the distraction, as it gave him the advantage of surprise.

Chris stood on the pinewood deck outside of the cable car station at the base of the mountain, leaning against one of the wooden columns as he scrolled through his phone. He shivered as a harsh breeze sliced through the air, bringing with it gusts of ice. Snow caked the ground, the roof of the station, and the tops of the picnic tables beside it. The cable car was still rocking back and forth from the trip across the valley as it transported Chris from the front gate to the base of the lodge, and creaked as the wind slapped against it.

Chris took no notice of the wind or the creaking cable car, his eyes trained on the screen that illuminated his face in white light. Dusk had fallen, much earlier than usual as the days had begun to grow shorter, but the lamps outside of the station and on the path towards the lodge emitted plenty of light.

This was Josh's chance. He had made it down the icy trail unnoticed by the blonde boy, who was too engrossed in his phone to notice if the mountain collapsed below his feet. Now, Josh peered out from behind a tree, a smile on his face as he gazed at Chris. Reaching down, Josh grabbed a clump of snow in his hand, feeling the ice crystals bite against his soft skin. Packing the snow into a neat ball, Josh slipped from behind his tree to another that stood closer to the station. Josh sent silent thanks that the fresh snow was too loose to crunch under his shoes.

He peered out from behind the tree, his free hand pressed against the frosty bark as he readied himself to duck back into hiding if Chris looked up. However, the boy was as distracted as ever, and Josh stifled a mischievous laugh as he pulled his arm back, ready to pitch.

 _Thump!_ The snowball broke apart as it collided with Chris's chest, embedding the wool fabric with ice crystals. Chris leapt back, startled, almost dropping his phone in his surprise. Looking up, his eyes fell on Josh, who had stepped out from behind the tree, and was holding another snowball with a mischievous grin on his face. Chris narrowed his eyes playfully, and quickly ducked out of the way as he dodged another snowball that flew past his head, colliding with the wooden panels of the station. "You got snow all over my jacket, man!" Chris complained, though his voice was laced with amusement rather than frustration.

Josh raised his hands in mock surrender, " I didn't know you couldn't handle a little bit of snow, Chris."

He leapt of the way as Chris lunged for him, a loosely packed snowball hitting the tree beside him. "You've gotta be better than that, man!" Josh taunted as he crouched behind a snow covered table, using it as a makeshift fort. He gazed around the side and watched as Chris stuffed his phone into his pocket and made a dash for the trees. Josh grabbed another handful of snow and chucked it in his friend's direction, watching with satisfaction as it collided with Chris's shoulder.

"Hey!" Chris exclaimed, taking shelter behind a tree, "I'll show you!" He peered around the trunk, only to duck back as another snowball was thrown his way. Crouching down, he made two snowballs and held one in each hand as he, cautiously, peered around the trunk again. He was just in time to see Josh sprint from the shelter of his table to another, and threw both towards him. One hit Josh in the leg, and the other narrowly missed his arm. Josh dove behind the other table, laughing as he wiped snow from his clothes.

Josh knelt in the snow behind the table, forming a much larger snowball as quickly as he could. He could hear the crunch of Chris's shoes against the older snow, and knew the other boy was making a dash for another bit of shelter. Leaping out from behind the table, Josh watched as Chris ran from the trees, heading towards the pile of logs that the Washington's kept for fires. With a grunt, Josh pitched the ball at Chris, hitting him square in the back. Chris's feet slipped on the snow and he fell awkwardly to the side before rolling onto his back, where he didn't move.

Immediately, Josh's smile fell away and he dashed across the snow, fear making his heart thud in his chest as he skidded to a half beside Chris, afraid that the hit had hurt him. The fear was quickly replaced with relief as he saw Chris blink open his eyes and smile. "You win." He conceded.

Josh rolled his eyes and reached down his hand to help Chris up, only to yelp in surprise as Chris pulled him down into the snow. He felt Chris grab his shoulders and roll over, until Josh was the one with his back against the snow and Chris loomed over him with his arms pinned above his head. Chris's eyes glittered with amusement as he laughed, "You _totally_ fell for that, Josh!"

Josh frowned, though the sides of his mouth lifted into an amused smile. However, before he could refute, a strange feeling fluttered in his chest. It was in that moment that he became aware that he and Chris were alone in the snow, breathing heavily after their snowball fight, with Chris pinning him down in the snow. He felt his cheeks flush as he realized that Chris was basically straddling him, but the blonde was too busy gloating in his victory to notice.

"I totally won that one!" Chris was saying, leaning forward until their noses almost touched as he continued, "Now you gotta say it - Chris is the Ultimate Snowball King!"

Josh furrowed his brow and shook his head, feeling his breath quicken as he realized how close their faces were, "I'm not saying that!"

"Say it!" Chris was still laughing, apparently very impressed with his own performance, "You have to say that I am the Ultimate Snowball King - or I'll sit on you until you do."

Josh was beginning to think that that wouldn't be all that bad, but rolled his eyes anyway. "Fine. You're the Ultimate Snowball King."

"Oh, no, no, no, Josh." Chris shook his head, releasing his grip on one of Josh's wrists to shake his finger in his friend's face. "You gotta commit to it. You have to say 'Christopher Hartley is the Ultimate Snowball King.'"

Josh opened his mouth to speak, but found the words choke in his throat as his gaze locked with Chris's. His heart was pounding in his chest, so hard that he was sure Chris must of heard it, and found himself lost for words. His brain went blank, and all he could think about were Chris's blue eyes, sparkling with amusement and triumph.

Chris was still waiting for Josh to speak, and didn't seem to notice that Josh had grown tense beneath him. Josh swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat, feeling his mind begin to spin. Truth be told, he had been imagining a moment like this for _years_. A moment where Chris was inches away, and Josh finally pulled him closer and revealed his feelings for Chris. The feelings that made his heart flutter and breath catch in his throat.

 _Fuck it._ Josh thought, his green eyes locking with Chris's blue eyes so intensely that he felt as though the air between them might spark. _When will I get another chance like this?_

Using his now freed hand, Josh reached up and rested his hand on the back of Chris's neck. Before the blonde had time to react, Josh pulled him closer and pressed his lips against Chris's, his eyes half lidded as he waited to see the other boy's reaction. He expected Chris to pull back and leap up in disgust, or at least break away and express his shock. What he didn't expect was for Chris's eyes to flutter shut as their lips met, and for his face to soften as if he'd been expecting this all along.

The snow pressed against Josh's back and the ice crystals that covered his clothes and skin did nothing to chill the warmth that spread through his body. As his lips pressed against those of his best friend, he let his eyes shut as well, and the air between them sparked, just as Josh had imagined. His hand slipped from the back of Chris's neck to his cheek, where he let his thumb rest against his friend's jawline, and he felt Chris's hand tighten it's grasp on the wrist that he still pinned above Josh's head.

His heart was still pounding, but this time with glee instead of apprehension. Chris hadn't pulled away or been disgusted, but simply melted into Josh's kiss. The breeze swirling around them seemed to envelope the two of them, clotting their hair with ice crystals and making their skin turn red against the cold.

In a time that might have lasted several seasons or only a heartbeat, Josh pulled away, feeling the cold air bite his lips. Chris's eyes slowly opened, his face so close that their noses brushed, and let out a soft sigh. His gaze locked with Josh's, filled with so much emotion that he could barely contain. "You have no idea how long I've wanted you to do that." Chris breathed, his breath stirring the air above Josh's lips.

Josh smiled so wide that it reached his eyes, which glistened with happiness as he stared up at Chris. He stared up at Chris in silence, letting his mind spin with happiness as he looked at the boy he loved. The snow whirled around them as the breeze grew stronger, enveloping them in a canopy of snowfall.

"You still have to say it, though." Chris whispered, leaning so close that their lips brushed.

Josh was too distracted by Chris's closeness to think clearly, and blinked in confusion. "Say what?"

"That I'm the Ultimate Snowball King."

Josh closed his eyes in exasperation, the smile never leaving his face as he shook his head in disbelief. He opened his mouth to reply, but Chris spoke before he had the chance, "You didn't think you could throw me off with a kiss, did you?"

Breath still caught in his throat and heart still beating rapidly in his chest, Josh replied, "Fine. Christopher Hartley… you are the Ultimate Snowball King."

Chris laughed in response, his eyes sparkling with triumph as he closed them and pressed his lips against Josh's once more. The snow kept falling around them, and the breeze brought sharp beads of ice that stung against their skin, but not even the cold could steal away the warm feeling of love in Josh's heart as he kissed his best friend.


End file.
